Planoorapm co



UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL ELLIOTT CREWS, OF DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR TO. GOLDEN BELTMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA, A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

BAG-CLOSURE.

Application filed August 4, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL ELLIOTT CREws, a citizen of the United States,residing at Durham, in the county 30f Durham and State of NorthCarolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bag-Closures, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an improved bag closure and method ofclosing and sealing bags, and is designed particularly for those bags offibrous material now generally used for packing granulated tobacco,although it will be understood that the invention is not confined tothis particular use, as it may be applied to any container formed offlexible material for carrying various commodities.

The invention is designed to provide a closure for and method of closingbags, which will reduce the cost of closing and sealing the bags to aminimum; give a smooth, flat top to the bag; and provide a sealed topwhich when initially opened will present the contents of the package tothe consumer without the necessity of opening up the pull strings whichare now commonly used.

In the drawings herewith I have illustrated the various steps intheformation of this closure, and in said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a bag, the top of which is fullyopen and before any of the closing and sealing steps have taken place.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the top of a bag with the end folds ofthe closure made.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bag, one of the side folds havingbeen made.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the bag, the final side fold having beenmade.

Fig. 5 is a view of the completed bag with a sealing label or stamp inposition.

In bags of this character, it is customary to form them of fabric andprovide the neck of the bag with strings, which, after the bag isfilled, are drawn tightly so as to close the neck of the bag. Thispractice, which has long been followed, results in bunching the fabricof the neck centrally of the bag, and over this neck the sealing labelor revenue stamp passes. With the old arrangement, some difiiculty isexperienced in applying the sealing label or stamp, and furthermore, itis necessary for the consumer in opening the package to untie the draw iSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 14, 1919.

Serial No. 184,466.

strings, which are usually knotted together, and then loosen the neck soas to open the bag, and as these strings are drawn and knotted verytightly, initial opening of the bag is sometimes difiicult.

In the construction devised by me, these difiiculties are overcome sothat a smooth, flat, well-shaped top is formed, over which the sealinglabel or stamp may be readily and smoothly applied, and in which the initial opening of the bag is readily accomplished, as the consumer hasonly to unfold the closure without opening up a bunch or drawn neck.After this initial opening,

the bag may be used in the ordinary way and closed by means of the drawstrings.

Referring to the drawings by numbers, like numbers indicating -likeparts in the several views, 10 designates a bag of any suit-ablematerial having the open top 11 with the draw strings 12 laid in thestring pocket formed at the neck of the bag as is customary.

The essential thing in the method of closing and the closure invented byme is the inturning of the drawing strings and the neck of the bag inunpuckered condition, and while this may be accomplished in a variednumber of ways, it is preferably done in the manner hereafter set forth.

The initial step in forming the closure is preferably the inturning ofthe end folds 13 along the dotted lines shown in Fig. 1, the inturnedposition of these folds 18 being shown in Fig. 2 so that they lie flatagainst the top of the contents of the package with the draw strings 12laid fiat in the position shown in Fig. 3. The next step in efiectingthe closure is to inturn the side flap 14 as shown in Fig. 3, the flap 11 folding down flatly over the inturned folds 13 and the draw strings12.

The next step in the formation of the closure is the inturning of theside fold 15 as shown in Fig. 4, this being folded flat upon the firstside fold 13, and giving a comparatively fiat, smooth top, as shown.

The flat, smooth surface thus formed may be sealed or secured in anysuitable manner, either by pasting the flaps themselves in place, bymechanical fastening means, or, as herein shown, by the use of thesealing label or stamp 16, (Fig. 5) which may be conveniently securedover the top of the bag, the closure described forming a relativelysmooth and firm closure to which the stamp will readily adhere, and theends of the stamp may then be wiped downwardly along the sides of thepackage, as shown in Fig. 5.

This closure and method of closing gives a package which is of uniformsize and shape at its ends, eliminates bunching and compression of thepackage by the draw strings so that a smooth surface for the sealingstamp or label is provided, and as will be obvious, eliminates allprojecting corners or ends as the package is turned out from the packingmachine.

The consumer has but to break the sealing label or stamp, open allfolds, as heretofore described, and the contents of the package areaccessible. At the same time all of the advantages of the old packagesare retained in so far as the draw strings are concerned, for after heinitial opening, the consumer may utilize the draw strings in the usualmanner to close the neck of the ba It will be understood that Variationsin the manner of folding and disposing of the various folds and the drawstrings may be made in effecting this closure without departing from thespirit of the invention, and, furthermore, while I have shown two drawstrings as is customary in this type of container, it is equallyapplicable to bags in which a single draw string is used.

I claim 1. A closure for strung bags having its end folds and drawstrings in loose untied condition inturned so as to lie flat upon thetop of the package, its side folds inturned and folded fiat upon saidend folds and draw strings, and means to secure said inturned andflattened folds in position.

2A closure for strung bags having its end folds and draw strings inloose untied condition inturned so as to lie flat upon the top of thepackage, its side folds inturned and folded fiat upon said end folds anddraw strings, and a stamp or label to hold said flattened folds inposition. 3. A closure for strung bags having its end folds and drawstrings in loose untied condition inturned so as to lie fiat upon thetop of the package, its side folds inturned and folded flat upon saidend folds and draw strings, and a revenue stamp to hold the inturned andflattened folds inposition.

-il. A closure for strung bags having opposite folds of its unpuckeredtop and the draw strings in loose untied condition inturned so as to lieflat uponthe top of the package, its other folds inturned and folded atupon said first-named folds and draw strings, and means to hold theinturned and flattened folds in position.

5. A closure for strung bags having the draw strings, in undrawncondition, inturned so as to lie flat upon the top of the package, thefolds of the unpuckered top inturned upon said draw strings, and meansto hold the inturned and flattened folds in position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

PAUL ELLIOTT CREVVS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing'the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G."

